When Apex Legends Season 2 rolled around, Respawn Entertainment threw a lot at the wall to see what would stick. The patch brought a classic Titanfall 2 weapon into the arena, introduced game-changing hop-ups, and handed shotgun mains a bitter pill to swallow. Between the L-STAR's arrival, fresh Energy Mags, and smarter airdrop loot tables, the update aimed to shake the meta from top to bottom.

The L-STAR Steps Out of Titanfall 2

The biggest head-turner was the L-STAR, known formally as the Lastimosa Armory Assault Rifle. This LMG arrived with heavy nostalgia for Titanfall 2 fans, firing large, high-damage projectiles at a rapid cyclic rate. At close range, the chunky rounds made it surprisingly forgiving for players whose aim was not exactly laser-focused; spray-and-pray was often enough to get the job done. At longer distances, however, the slower-moving shots required careful leading, which kept the weapon from being a total free lunch.

The catch was a classic double-edged sword. Holding the trigger too long caused the L-STAR to overheat, and when that happened its lens shattered and needed a replacement. That animation left players wide open in the middle of a fight. On top of that, the weapon only appeared in airdrop supply drops alongside the Mastiff and Kraber pool, and its limited ammo supply could not be refilled. Running dry mid-fight could turn a player into deadweight for the squad, especially if the surrounding loot was barren. For all its firepower, the L-STAR demanded a cool head and a backup plan.

Hop-Ups and Buffs Breathe Life Into Early Weapons

Respawn also targeted early-game weapons with a pair of new hop-ups.

Hop-Up	Effect	Compatible Weapons
Disruptor Rounds	Increased shielded damage	Alternator, RE-45
Hammerpoint Rounds	Increased unshielded damage	P2020, Mozambique

The Disruptor Rounds made the Alternator and RE-45 melt shields, while Hammerpoint Rounds turned the P2020 and Mozambique into legitimate flesh-damage threats. Alongside these additions, the Flatline, P2020, Alternator, and Triple Take received unspecified buffs. For a long time the Mozambique had been the butt of every joke, but with Hammerpoint Rounds it finally had a chance to go from zero to hero. The shift promised to make early-game fights less about praying for a lucky R-99 and more about using whatever was actually in hand.

Energy Mag attachments also arrived for the Havoc, Devotion, and Triple Take. These boosted ammo capacity just like their light and heavy counterparts, and the energy ammo stack increased from 60 to 80. That small quality-of-life change meant energy weapons no longer felt like a backpack-taxing gamble, opening the door for players to experiment without constantly running low.

Shotgun Ammo Takes a Hit and the Arc Star Gets a Nudge

Shotgun fans were hit where it hurt: their ammo stack size was slashed from 64 to 16, a hefty 75% reduction. The reasoning was that players needed to strike a better balance between carrying ammunition and keeping room for emergency items. Calling it a 'tweak' was a bit like calling a Kraber headshot a small tap. With one backpack slot now holding half as much shotgun ammo as before, dedicated users had to make every shell count. The change drew comparisons to the old Fortnite pump-shotgun nerf cycle, and while many players adapted, the cut from 64 to 32 might have been a more balanced first step.

The Arc Star received a fairer adjustment. Its ignition delay was nudged from 2.5 seconds to 2.8, and players caught at the edge of the explosion no longer lost every last shield point in an instant. The goal was to remove those feel-bad spikes where one unlucky hit ended a match on the spot. Overall, the change felt reasonable rather than retaliatory, keeping the Arc Star strong without making it a guaranteed delete button.

Smarter Airdrops for a Better Endgame

Airdrop packages also received a much-needed upgrade. Instead of doling out early-game junk, supply drops began drawing from updated loot tables that shifted based on the match phase. Early and mid-game drops leaned toward Krabers, while late-game drops brought Mastiffs to the front. This made the final circles less of a lottery and more of a proper showdown, as teams that survived long enough could count on a real chance to grab top-tier firepower.

Looking Back at the Season 2 Shakeup

The L-STAR was the biggest question mark. If it proved too strong, RNG would hand a few lucky squads an overwhelming advantage, and limited ammo might not matter if those first victims were already dead. But the limited reserve also felt like the cleanest way to keep the weapon from becoming a never-ending menace, much like the P90's initial arrival in Fortnite eventually required a nerf. The new hop-ups and weapon buffs were a welcome shot in the arm for early-game variety, and the Mozambique's glow-up was one of the patch's most satisfying storylines.

The shotgun ammo nerf, on the other hand, risked making the entire weapon class feel like an afterthought. A softer reduction from 64 to 32 would have still forced careful inventory choices without gutting the playstyle. Yet the airdrop loot improvements pointed in the right direction, making late-game fights more dynamic and rewarding. Years later, the Season 2 patch still reads as a bold attempt to fix season one's missteps, and its mix of clever additions and heavy-handed tweaks remains a useful lesson in live-service balancing.